Title: Hurt Pride, Wounded Heart, Wasted Lives

Chapter Title: When Twilight Calls

Word Count: 3,662

Status: Continuous - Incomplete

Pairing: NejixSakuraxSasuke

Summary: I loved these years I've loved you. But I never told you...Please Don't has moved on with her life. She's even found a new romance. Then he showed up and destroyed her perfect world. NejiSakuSasu. Rated M for later chapters.

When Twilight Calls

Epilogue Part I

Shizune was starting to feel the faintly familiar tinglings of panic rising up her neck. She looked down at the patient before her. His long brown hair sprawled over the table, tubes and wires linking his pale body to machines that showed his vitals. In the split second that Shizune glaned at the screens, the monitors told her that he was barely breathing, his heart struggling to pump life-giving blood, his pressure dropping as every minute passed. Shizune was starting to feel fatigue set in. It's almost just like the time they first went after Uchiha Sasuke, she thought to herself, remembering that disastrous event. Ironic that this time had been due to going out after the self same Uchiha again.

The gaping wound on Neji's shoulder was slow to heal. A low moan alerted her to the medic right in front of her. "Marui-san, please switch with Hana-san," said the Hokage's apprentice, not taking her eyes of her patient. "Hai," came the immediate response. There was a faint shuffling of feet as a medic replaced the tired one and proceeded to carry on with the Hyuuga's healing.

The blade alone had done damage enough, striking so near to the heart it made it perilous to even treat him. One small mistake and they could end up killing him instead of saving his life. The re-networking of nerves and blood vessels and tendons was no easy feat. But the Uchiha's Chidori had made things ten times worse. That and the fact the Neji's body did not seem to have much fight in it left.

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Somewhere in the next room, another group of medics worked tirelessly on the ANBU strategist. A quick report had already been sent to Tsunade and Shizune, very briefly stating the Nara's injuries and the recommended treatment. Tsunade quickly established that Yamato had complete control of the Uzumaki's situation. He was, after all, more knowledgeable in the health and needs of the junchuurikki. And he was the only one able to control the kyuubi's raging chakra. She left strict instructions with the ANBU wood-user to send for her should anything happen – whether she was busy or not. Part of her felt slightly guilty – she found it hard to admit to herself that a small part of her, deep inside, felt that Uzumaki Naruto was far more important to her than the lives of the other shinobi, perhaps rivaling that of her own apprentice. Tsunade cringed inside. She was ashamed of herself. But, she reminded herself, everyone felt that way at least a bit. The Nara's father would feel his son's life was far above that of someone else's. Hyuuga Hiyashi would say that their prodigy's was far more indispensable and valuable. And Uchiha Sasuke – Tsunade knew that, if he could, if only his situation were different, Itachi would fight for his brother's life.

Tsunade shook the thoughts from her head and proceeded to see to the ANBU strategist. It was only moments later, though that the Godaime Hokage came upon the horrifying comclusion: although the ANBU strategist had quickly stabilized with a blood transfusion and treatment of his more minor injuries and fatigue, something permanent had been done to the young Nara. And it had to do with his memory. As he was still asleep, she could not say how he had been affected or the extent of said affliction. If any permanent brain damage had been done, he might not be able to continue being a shinobi, let alone Konoha's stratesist. Tsunade ground her teeth together.

Today was really a dark day.

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Two hours had passed, but Tsunade felt like she had been running for miles under a sweltering sun for a whole day at least. She was tired and sweating. She knew she was nearly at her limit. But she also knew she would gladly sacrifice herself for the lives of the shinobi currently at stake. She heaved a great sigh. She couldn't help it. But she would go on – she had to go on – for the life she would give anything to save; the life that was currently slipping away on the table in front of her.

She had left them with strict, clear instructions, damn it! The minutes ago the girl had been stable! Now, as Tsunade gazed at the screens, the green words, figures and moving graphs told her that Sakura's blood pressure was dropping. Her heart was still beating, but it was not strong enough.

On another table, not too far behind her, Tsunade could hear Shizune's team fighting for the Hyuuga's life. Things did not sound too good from that end either. Normally, Tsunade did not want two surgeries taking place in the same room. But today was different. Today seemed to be one of those days when she broke her own rules, defied her own principles. Konoha Hospital (a.k.a. Konoha Medical Centre) was equipped with four state of the art Emergency Operating Rooms, specially designed for Intense Acute Chakra Healing Procedures. Through the four doors of these spacious rooms, only the most fatally injured shinobi were brought. How they could have five of them here all in one day, Tsunade had never imagined. And so, she had been forced to house the last two to enter – Neji and Sakura – in the same room. Tsunade sincerely hoped that this day would be over soon, that they would all make it safely and alive through this, and that it should never, ever happen again. No matter what.

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"Her pressure's dropping!"

"She's not breathing! Get the oxygen, quick!"

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Tsunade's world had gone into slow motion. It was like everyone was moving underwater – or through some really thick fluid. She knew everything must be happening so fast, but she could hear and see it all as if it was happening one at a time, slowly. An indicator light on one of the monitors flashed red and there was a kind of beeping, buzzing 'alarm'-like sound. And then the numbers on that same monitor dropped rapidly, zooming down to zero. From another monitor, the constant beeping became less frequent, and less even. Tsunade knew that was definitely NOT good news. Looking down she found that her hands were still glowing green with healing chakra, still mending the girl's gaping wound a little at a time. It had to be done slowly. If they linked anything the wrong way, they might as well just kill her. She was concentrating right now on stimulating the production of numerous types of cells, and the reconstruction of nerves, muscles and other tissue. Several times she had had to use a chakra scalpel. She had to be extremely careful not to injure the organs nearby. There were also several broken bones to repair and much internal bleeding that had to be sourced and stemmed.

But Tsunade wondered why her team was having such a hard time. Sakura was not out of chakra. And her body had a natural ability to heal itself. Even if unconscious, her healing should have started already. She checked for this again and came up with the same result. Her body was acting like most other shinobi who did not have her ability – meaning, it wasn't healing itself; more accurately. It couldn't heal itself. Perhaps she was too fatigued? That might have an effect; she had never really considered stamina as a factor in the equation. But no matter. She would heal the girl herself.

It was not long after that monitors started going crazy one after the other. One sweeping glance confirmed Tsunade's worst fear.

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Sakura was giving up.

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A split second later, she was shouting out urgent orders and medics rushed to reach for the required equipment as basic CPR did not help in the least and her vital organs began to shut down one by one. And then, the one sound that no medic ever liked to hear as it could never ever bode well. It was a sound that often foretold the end.

The monitor that was supposed to be beeping metrically gave out one long interminable note.

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Sakura's heart had stopped beating.

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For it is in the darkness that we find light. And in sorrow do we find bliss.
For how are we to know what is good, if we experience no bad?
How are we to realize joy if we do not first become acquainted with sadness?
How do we know the value of company and friend, if we do not know loneliness?
How do you live Life not knowing what it is?
And how can you know what Death is, if you have not met Life?

How do we know Love, if we do not know Loss?

((( -GloriAnne Rose F. Dairo )))

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It could not be true. It was all just one big bad nightmare. A bad dream. None of it could be true. Because as far as Tsunade knew, Haruno Sakura never gave up. She was a fighter, a silent one, but a fighter still. It was her very nature to persevere until she had proven others wrong. She was not weak. She was not the last of the least. She was not worthless. She had fought and proven to be the best there ever was.

These thoughts ran through Tsunade's head in a split second as medics rushed in a whirlwind around their patient. The darkened room glowed green to the corners with healing chakra and monitor displays. There was only one thing they could do now. They had to force her heart to beat again. They would have to give her an electric shock. Medics readied the girl as the equipment was brought to their table.

"Give me one fifty," said the medic, looking momentarily to Tsunade for confirmation. Tsunade gave a small nod. It was all she could do. She was going into shock. Her apprentice was almost as good as dead. Her heart had stopped beating. Her organs would soon follow suit and shut down. They could not continue healing her if she had no heartbeat. A body needed to be living to heal.

"Clear!"

Sakura's chest rose up to the plates as the current ran through her. Still the monitor held it's unending tone.

"Give me one more."

Still nothing.

"Give me two hundred. Okay, Clear!"

The line on the screen of the machine that monitored her heartbeat gave a small hop as the current passed, but then returned to that perfect flat green line.

The medic glanced uneasily at the Godaime before saying, "Give me two fifty." The plates met Sakura's pale skin again. Her colour had been pale peach when she arrived. She was now going grayish.

"Clear!"

Sakura's chest rose high and fell back down onto the table. Still no heartbeat. The medics glanced at Tsunade. The Godaime knew that, if it had been anyone else, they would have already pronounced the patient dead. But Haruno Sakura was the Godaime's apprentice. Some even ventured as far as to call Sakura Tsunade's adopted daughter.

"Give her three hundred," said Tsunade firmly.

"Demo, Hokage-sama –"

"I said give her three hundred!" Tsunade repeated, louder this time.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"And someone get me Hatake Kakashi immediately!"

"H-Hai!"

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The young agitated medic found the Copy-nin standing outside the waiting area. He could not begin to guess why the Godaime had decided to call for this man, but he was not about to question her orders. Especially not at a time like this.

"Hatake-san," said the medic, slightly breathless after having run down several corridors. "Hogake-sama has summoned you."

"Summoned me?" asked the jounin. "Isn't the Hokage supposed to be still in surgery?"

"Hai," said the medic. "She still is; and she's asking that you come immediately."

"What's the matter?" asked the former ANBU, now paying the medic his full attention. Why was he needed at IACHP Surgery?

"It's Haruno-sama."

Hatake Kakashi was gone in a puff of gray smoke.

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Tsunade did not jump when she heard the Copy-nin appear outside the door. Nor was she surprised when he rushed in unannounced.

"What is it, Hokage-sama?" said Kakashi hurriedly. "Don't tell me – Sakura, is she –" Kakashi could not bear to finish that sentence. But Tsunade paid his words no attention. She merely turned to him and looked him dead straight in the eye. There was no trace of anything but absolute seriousness and determination on her face.

"Kakashi, I need you to use your Raikiri on Sakura."

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Kakashi froze for the tiniest fraction of a second. Had he heard right? Tsunade wanted him to use Raikiri on Sakura? Raikiri? On Sakura? She wasn't serious, was she? This was hardly the time for practical jokes.

"Tsunade-sama, you can't be-"

"Oh yes, I am serious Kakashi," Tsunade interrupted. "There's no time to argue. I need you to do it now."

"But Tsunade! If I do that, she could die!"

"Kakashi, if you don't do it, she WILL die!"

What the hell was she talking about?! "What?!" Kakashi saw that even her medics were staring at her incredulous. Apparentlly he wasn't the only one surprised, no shocked, by Tsunade's incredibly queer request – no, order.

"Kakashi, there's not enough time! Her heart's not beating. She has chakra in her system, but she's not healing like she should. Her injuries are similar to Hyuuga Neji's, and you told me yourself that Sasuke tried to save her by giving her his own chakra."

"What sense does that make?"

"I mean that Sasuke's chakra within her may respond to your Raikiri, which is very similar to his Chidori. Kakashi, what nearly killed her may well save her now."

It was certainly a request nobody had ever made of him before. And he did not understand it, nor did he really believe it would work. But Tsunade's words made sense somehow. How they made sense, he wasn't sure either, but that did not matter now. He needed no more telling. Tsunade would never do anything that would hurt Sakura. And he would do anything that was needed, anything he could to save her.

Kakashi moved to the table and grasped his right wrist with his left hand. White sparks like miniature bolts of lightning surrounded his hand. And, with a quick prayer to Heaven, He placed his palm to Sakura's form.

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Shizune was beginning to panic. The Hyuuga prodigy's vitals were dropping. He was not responding to the medication. His body seemed to be rejecting the help offered it. Twice now her team had had to perform CPR as his heart stopped beating and he stopped breathing. They had revived him a third time now and were tending to his injuries. His shoulder wound was much too near his heart for comfort and they had to be extremely careful not to do more damage. Shizune was doing everything she could, employing all her knowledge, wisdom and listening to her instincts, which, thankfully, had helped her save countless lives in the past. But today, she was at a loss. Through her hands, she could feel his chakra circulation slowing down. No one needed to be told that that was definitely not good news.

"Shizune-sama! We're reading a vital drop in pressure!" one of her team medics said.

"We're reading irregular heartbeats and breathing, Shizune-sama. His vital organs are beginning to shut down. We could lose his liver and kidneys soon. Tissues aren't getting enough blood," said another.

Shizune glanced momentarily at the rest of the medics who were tirelessly working to mend the dying Hyuuga's fatal wound. The wound was almost fully closed, veins, blood vessels, and nerves reconstructed, tissue being sewn up. Within a few minutes, the only proof that he had been fatally injured would be a slight redness of his new skin and perhaps light scars, but otherwise, he would be unblemished. If his healing was going smoothly and there was no obstruction in his circulatory system – both blood and chakra – why were his vital signs still plummeting?

"He's not fighting."

"What did you say, Shizune-sama? What do you mean?" asked a young medic, who looked very worn out.

"I mean, he no longer wishes to live. That is why we are having such a hard time keeping him alive. It's his mind. He has given up."

To this profound statement, there was no reply. For that, Shizune was thankful. This was just another spark of her instinct yet again, and Tsunade had taught her to follow her instincts, for much of a great medic's prowess relied on good instinct. A medic's ability to sense what was wrong, be it the most strange or unexplainable, and a mind to figure out how to overcome that wall.

Her team raised eyebrows in surprise and question when she removed her glowing hands from the Hyuuga's form. She had made a final check. His injuries were healing, albeit at a slower than normal rate (for a shinobi of his caliber, anyway), but they were healing. The fatal wound to his shoulder, which had so nearly struck his heart, was no longer life threatening. There was no more need for her to use her chakra to help heal him. Healing chakra and chakra scalpels would do no more good here. Instead, she moved closer to the Hyuuga's head and with one weary hand, stroked his hair. Many girls envied his hair and a small sad smile graced her lips as she thought this. It would be such a pity if they should not be able to envy him for one more day. Shizune thought these absurd yet true thoughts to steel herself, preparing herself to do something she had been taught, but had never had to use, or had the courage or confidence to use. But now was not a time for cowardice. She instructed her medics to perform final check-ups of his vitals and to mend and seal any remaining minor abrasions. Then she placed her hands on the Hyuuga's temples and closed her eyes. The only thing left to do was to talk to him, odd as it might sound if she said that aloud.

'Wake up,' she said to him, trying to feel around for his mind, his consciousness. This was the first time she was performing this jutsu and she was being very careful. She probes deeper into his mind. If her mind had eyes, all she could see was blackness. She wondered if he could even hear her.

'Please, please wake up…' She sensed the edge of his mind – if minds have edges. But he was far from her, and going farther and farther away. She felt the presence of his mind weaken.

'Don't give in Neji, please. Please fight.' Weak as he was, she felt a hint of retaliation, a hint of weariness and she knew he was unwilling,

'You have to fight, just a bit more.' His presence was growing ever weaker, like he was moving away from her at an accelerating pace. 'Just a bit more. Come on, Neji; for a little while more. You're a Hyuuga damn it, I know you can.' She had a hold on him, she knew. She knew now that somewhere, somehow, his living consciousness could hear her voice, could understand what she was saying. She hoped he would listen. But, just as she thought this, she felt his presence begin to slip.

'No. Don't do this, Neji. You have to fight, you have to come back.' But he was getting weaker. She had to struggle to retain what little hold she had on him. She could feel herself weakening. She had used up too much chakra earlier. 'Don't do this!' But she could barely feel him anymore. She was desperate now. This was her last hope. If this didn't work, then no matter how much they healed his body, if his mind did not want to go on living, he would certainly die. He was pulling away from her again.

'No! Don't go! You have to fight, you have to.' Shizune knew that she must be speaking these words aloud now, so that the medics could hear her. She did not have enough strength in her mind anymore. She did not have enough chakra left that would be sufficient to carry on this jutsu. She had not known that this technique would not only be dangerous but also so tiring!

He was almost gone from her. She was frantic and said the first thing that came to her mind, desperately hoping that it would bring him back. 'She's still here. And she's fighting. Neji, please, don't do this. She needs you.'

Shizune's hold was growing weaker. Already she could hear her medics whispering, could even hear Tsunade's team talking from far away. And she knew she must be lying to the Hyuuga. Haruno Sakura was in no better shape than he was. But she would not give up. She would go on trying even when she no longer could.

'Please …' But he was slipping and she did not have enough strength to hold on. He was slipping away.

'You can't…'

But he was gone.

With nothing more to hold on to, Shizune felt herself open her eyes very reluctantly. She could feel her medics' eyes on her. And then she heard the monitor as she saw it out of the corner of her suddenly weary eyes. A straight green line persisted on the screen, unmoving, unblinking. And a single continuous note emanated from its singular speaker, telling her that it sensed nothing. She felt disappointment and failure wash over her. She laid her hands on either side of her patient's head and hung her own head low, gazing at his pale face, eyes closed, seemingly peacefully asleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

AH! I've been away for a long tim eyet again! Gomen, gomen. Ne, transferring to a new college is a bit of a challenge, but at least, I've found some inspiration there for my stories. hehe...

JuJu: Here's the update you've been waiting for! Ne, don't worry, there'll be one last chapter after this. If I don't post a final chapter here I know you'll kill me! haha! Just wait for our preliminaries to end before you do anything!

To the rest of you: ENJOY! And thank you for following this fanfic this far. We're almost at the end of the road, which is kind of sad because I really enjoyed writing this fanfic, but all things must come to an end ne? C'est la vie. Oui, c'est vrai.

Till the next chapter then,

CherriesandRoses89

P.S. please review!!!